Pernod to bottle Indian whisky brands in Africa

Pernod Ricard is planning to bottle its Indian whisky brands in Africa as part of a bid to enhance its presence in the continent, reports have claimed.

Pernod Ricard is considering moving bottling operations for its top-selling Indian whisky brands to Africa

According to The Times of India, the French drinks group is set to produce its Imperial Blue blended whisky brand in Africa to “test the waters” with the hope of later bottling its Royal Stag brand there too.

Nigeria and Kenya have both been eyed as possible production sites for the brands, but neither have yet been confirmed.

Sumeet Lamba, executive director of Pernod Ricard India, told the paper: “At this point we plan on producing Imperial Blue locally in Africa. This will allow us to test the waters and we will take a decision on Royal Stag at a later date.”

The two brands have been exported to around half a dozen African countries for some time now, as well as East Asia and the Middle East, but this is the first time that production could begin in a market outside of India.

The Times of India also claims that this is “probably the first time” an Indian whisky brand is contemplating overseas bottling operations.

“The key to doing this is to move away from primarily targeting the Indian diaspora to gaining acceptance amongst local populations,” Lamba added.

“The effort is being led by our affiliates in Africa wherein they are managing the process, including local production and marketing.

“We (Pernod Ricard India) are involved in the launch from a technical perspective and to maintain consistency in key elements of the brand like packaging and positioning.”

Last year, Imperial Blue sold 10.9 million nine-litre cases in 2013 while Royal Stag – Pernod’s best selling brand across its entire portfolio – sold 14.7m, making it the world’s third best-selling Indian whisky brand.